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This One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo is the perfect winter dinner…quick, easy, hearty, and delicious! Pan-seared Italian seasoned chicken breasts in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce. Cooked together with orzo pasta for a complete dinner made in just ONE skillet. Truly one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next holiday dinner. You can’t go wrong with this warming skillet dinner.
It’s hard to believe that we’re entering the second week of December and are only just two and half weeks out from Christmas…and only three and half weeks from the New Year. Where is the time going!?
As I type this up I’m getting ready to take-off for NYC. By the time you all read this, I will be in the city. I have to say, I’m really excited for this trip, but equally excited to return home on Thursday, and finally be HOME for the remainder of the year. I know many of you travel for work weekly, but as you all know, I’m such a homebody at heart. So I’m excited to have some time to enjoy the remainder of December with my family. Anyone else in the same mindset?
With that in mind, I’m always looking for the easiest recipes this time of year. The days are incredibly short and things are busy between work and holiday prep. Quick and simple dinners that everyone at the dinner table will eat are what I strive to create.
Enter this skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo.
To make this all-in-one dinner…
Start with a skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe skillet or even dutch oven works great. You’ll want to season the chicken up with a few dried herbs and spices…oregano, paprika, and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Then sear the chicken until it’s golden.
PS. if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, check out the current Staub giveaway we’re hosting on Instagram!
Next up, remove the chicken from the skillet, add a bit of butter, plus some shallots, garlic, and orzo. I love toasting the dry orzo pasta in butter for additional flavor. The butter browns and the orzo takes on a delicious nutty flavor.
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Moving along, add a splash of white wine. Then add pretty much everything else. Cream, a little parmesan cheese, fresh spinach and of course sun-dried tomatoes. Slide the chicken right into the sauce, then transfer the whole skillet right to the oven. Bake for about ten to fifteen minutes…
And then? Dinner is done. Yes, this is that SIMPLE.
So how does it taste?
I know simple skillet dinners can get a bad rap for being boring, but this is anything but boring. The sauce is creamy, hinted with lemon, garlic, and just a touch buttery too. The orzo is perfectly cooked and has a little nutty flavor.
And the chicken has a wonderful herbed flavor with a bit of heat from the crushed red pepper. It’s everything you’d expect out of a multi-step recipe, but made all in one skillet…and all SO GOOD.
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete dinner all-in-one. You have your protein, your carbs, and even your vegetables. I can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for holiday dinners with friends and family. I’ll be remaking this as soon as I get home. My family members are slowly starting to make their way back to Colorado for Christmas, so this is going to be on repeat.
Looking for other one skillet dinner ideas…check out these.
If you make this one skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 530 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or small thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
- juice of 1 lemon
- fresh rosemary, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the same skillet, add the butter and shallot, cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo, cooking until lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cook 3-5 minutes, then add the cream, mustard, parmesan, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring until the spinach has wilted. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.4. Serve the chicken topped with lemon juice and rosemary, if desired.
This post was originally published on December 9, 2019
Loved loved loved .. absolutely delicious!!! How can I attach a picture
Thank you SO much! I always love reading comments and seeing that the recipe was a success! Have a great day! 🙂 xT
She does it again!! Another great HBH recipe. This was the perfect cold day recipe. So satisfying, and love the one pot aspect for easy clean up.
I meant to give 5 stars not 4 😅
Happy Friday! Thank you for trying out this recipe, and have a great weekend! xT
Can I make this up a little ahead of time and then throw it in the oven right before we are ready to eat?
Hi Mary! I haven’t ever tried that before, so I can’t say for sure! So sorry! xT
Can I use chicken broth and not wine?
Yes, you can definitely use chicken broth! 🙂 xT
This came out perfect! Bonus – quick andeasy to make and easy to clean up! Thanks for another great one Tieghan!
Hi Tracy! Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! Love to hear you enjoyed it! xT
Jesus Christ that was good! So perfect. I don’t follow recipes very closely but I loved it.
Thank you so much Dana! xT
If I were to not use a skillet and put in a pan instead, idea idea on the freezing and reheating instructions?
I make this for by boyfriend once a week. We are obsessed.
Thank you SO much Tricia! xT
We have made this recipe several times. Definitely a keeper! We enjoy it every time we make it. Easy and tasty!
Hey Becky! Thank you sooo much for trying out this recipe! Hope your New Year is off to an awesome start! xT
I am making this tonight (it’s a regular rotation meal) for my college sophomore. It was her request for the last meal before she heads back for 2nd semester. She (and our family) loves this dish! Thanks, Tieghan!
Hi Julie! Thank you sooo much for trying out this recipe! Hope your New Year is off to an awesome start, and hope your daughter has another great semester! xT
I cannot believe how good this is!! Wow new favorite!
Aw thank you so much Katherine! xT
The flavor was incredible. So easy to make. Even my little ones loved it! Thank you!
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! Hope you have an amazing New Year! 🙂 xT
I love this recipe… have made it several times and is a favorite. I follow the recioe, only adding mushrooms if I have them.
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! Hope you have an amazing New Year! 🙂 xT
Perfect elevated comfort food dish. We served this for Christmas Eve dinner. It was delicious and beautiful 😍
Hi! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! xT
This was good! I substituted the heavy cream for a can of coconut milk which was more than one cup so I substituted the rest for the water. I added a handful of cherry tomatoes before I added it to the oven which added another good element. It’s tricky to get the timing right with the chicken depending on what you use. I used breast thin cutlets which turned out rubbery even though I cut the cook time.
Hi! Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Hope you have an amazing Christmas! xT
I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for a while now after it caught my eye a few months ago! Finally tried it tonight and I will be definitely adding it to our meal rotation! It is so good! I would not describe myself as a master chef either but this recipe was so easy to follow and I even learned something!
Can I make this with bone in skin on chicken thighs? I would think so…
That’s all I use!! I sear for the full 5 minutes then put in oven close to 30 minutes. Perfect!!
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT
Would Arborio rice work in place of the orzo? I’ve made it before with orzo and we loved it. We have a gluten free visitor and I can’t get gluten free orzo in my grocery store